Seven Heavenly Virtues
by xCaligula
Summary: The seven virtues, and how they apply to Ladd and Lua. Or, a series of smutty oneshots using them as a loose theme. General warning for these two being themselves, but there's gunplay, knifeplay, breathplay, and other such fun involved.
1. patience

He practically lunges at her without any warning; one step, two steps, and then he comes at her all at once, and she doesn't have a second to prepare for the weight of him pressing her against the wall behind her. Lua is so used to spontaneity now, though, and her gasp of surprise is accompanied by a delicate smile of delight that he matches with his own wide grin. Ladd looks so happy to see her, and even if she can't recall a time where he wasn't, it fills her with joy all the same, and she knows that she would do anything for this man, if only he would ask it of her.

"I'm back, my dear, and I've missed you such much. You've missed me right?" A tilt of hip hips, and his erection is pressed against her leg, straining against his pants and earning a soft gasp from her. "Of course you have, but now I'm back to take good care of you."

When he nuzzles his head along her neck, his lips soft against it and his teeth lightly scraping her flesh, she really doesn't know how much of this she's going to be able to take. Before him, she'd never known what pleasure could come from something like this; always, the very few times it was spoken of, it always seemed as if only the man would get anything out of it, but sometimes she wonders if she isn't enjoying herself more than Ladd. Sometimes she thinks that might be his intention, his way of making up for all the fun he has without her, and she wonders how she ever found someone so damn wonderful.

He looks back at her face, his smile softening for a moment as he really takes in how much she's loving this, and then his grin is back, and he leans in to murmur, "You don't wanna wait anymore, do you?"

"Already?" she whimpers, and she's so overcome with excitement that she almost forgets to breathe- almost, but not quite. She can't do it _for_ him, after all.

He looks puzzled for a moment before sighing and shaking his head, laughing. "No, no, no, you know neither of us are ready for _that_ yet, don't be silly. No, my darling, I'm talking about something a lot more immediate, you know?"

She knows that she should have realized, but when he gets excited like this, it's hard for her to think straight and she always hopes that this is it, that he's finally come to make good on his promise to her. When they got engaged, everyone she knew lavished congratulations on her and asked her if she was excited for the wedding. She didn't tell them that there was only one thing she truly wanted from him, that their engagement meant so much more than anyone else could ever understand.

"Well?" he asks impatiently. "You want it or not?" He grinds against her to really let her feel how hard he is and she nods desperately, earning another laugh from him. "I knew it, I know you so well!"

He captures her lips in a long, ravenous kiss, one that leaves her breathless, but he's left her much more breathless than this before and she can endure so much more. And when he breaks the kiss all too soon, he says, "You're always so impatient for everything, aren't you? That's okay, I'm patient enough for the both of us." He reaches for something in his pocket, and she doesn't have to look to know what it is, but she does anyway and a thrill goes through her when she catches a glimpse of the gun just before he presses it to her temple.

"I'm just doing this to tease you," he clarifies. "You don't think I'd be careless enough to jump the gun, right?" He laughs at that. "No, I just know teasing you like this is the only way you're really happy." Trailing it down her face, pausing to prod her cheek before taking the path down her neck and chest, resting it against her heart, he drops his voice low to say, "And you know I love to see you happy."

She gives a shudder of pleasure, nearly coming undone from this alone, and then his other hand is pushing her dress up over her hips and reaching between her legs- of course she isn't wearing anything under her dress, she wanted to be ready for him- and feeling how wet she already is. Making a soft noise of approval, he begins to finger her while pressing the gun into her chest. If he ever does shoot her, she wants it to be in her heart. There's something particularly thrilling about having a gun to her head, but to be shot in the heart seems so much more romantic, so much more beautiful. She trusts him to make her death beautiful, but she's only human and can't help having her fantasies.

"Patience," he chides playfully, as if reading her mind, as if he weren't doing everything in his power to tease her. He wants her there soon, she knows it, but she also knows that the harder she tries to hold out, the sooner she'll give in, and he's well aware of this little trick. With two fingers inside of her and his thumb rubbing her clit, it's already almost more than she can stand, and then he begins tracing over her breast with the gun. Even through fabric it's enough to stimulate her, and he circles her nipple until she's panting and desperate and at her very limit, and then he flashes her a bright smile of encouragement and she's there, blinded for a moment by absolute ecstasy.

When she starts to come back down, he's still grinning at her, and he pulls his fingers out of her, reaching for his zipper while he moves the gun back to her head. In a flash, he's freed his cock and helps her to hook her legs around his waist as best as he can with only one arm free. With the tip pressing up against her, he nudges her temple and says, "Now what you've been waiting for, huh?"

With a quick thrust, he's inside of her, and he groans blissfully. "Baby," he says, "you got me so close just watching your pretty face before." He's never been able to last long once he's started fucking her, but she was never surprised; for someone so easily excitable, it seems natural, and he was able to bounce back quickly every single time.

"I love you more than anything," he tells her, rocking his hips into her, fucking her hard against the wall and running his gun up and down her face.

"I love you more than anything," she repeats, her voice a quiet, shaky whimper. "I'd do anything for you."

"Then just keep on living for me, baby. Just until I'm ready," he promises, his eyes closing in ecstasy. He's nearly there, she can tell, but he never stops teasing her as he traces shapes along her face, before bringing the gun to her lips. She eagerly parts them, sucking at it like she would have for him, and the sight causes him to give a shaky laugh. "You really want this, don't you?"

She nods weakly, already on the edge again, but she won't let herself go before him this time. His thrusts become more and more frantic, and she knows she doesn't had long to wait, so she just keeps holding on. He pulls the gun from her lips, a thin strand of saliva clinging to it, and then he throws it aside, his lips on hers. Ladd moans into her mouth as he comes, filling her with a damp heat that does her in once more. Arching her back, pushing her hips forward and hooking her legs tighter around him, as if she could draw him in deeper and keep him there forever, she cries out.

It doesn't take him long to recover, and she's in his arms before she's regained her composure, being carried to their bed. He lays her down gently, climbing in next to her and pulling her into his arms once more. She knows it won't be long before she'll be able to feel his erection return, pressing into her leg like before, but for now, they rest.

"Someday," he murmurs, "someday. Just keep being patient for me, okay?"

If only she could, she thinks, but she's sure that her impatience is something he loves about her.


	2. generosity

She wakes up after a particularly vivid dream with a knife plunging into her chest, her last sight that entrancing grin before she's jolted awake, as if her body perceives one of her favorite fantasies as some sort of nightmare. Lua is sure that there's something poignant to be found in there, perhaps about her perception versus that of the rest of the world, but it's too early for such serious thoughts. It is morning, at least, and not too early for her to wake up, so she doesn't have to regret any lost sleep.

Ladd is still sleeping behind her, the most still she ever sees him, and even so, he still fidgets sometimes, and she often wonders what sort of dreams he must be having. There's usually the hint of a smile playing at his lips, and she's glad to know that they're good dreams, at the very least. He's holding her so close now, and her back is to him, his grip so tight that she can't turn to look at him and see if he's smiling now, but she can feel his breath on the back of her neck. Her pulse quickens as she remembers her own dream, and she can feel a dull ache growing between her legs. If only today could be the day, but she knows without having to ask that he isn't ready yet, and she doesn't want to rush him.

Really, she doesn't want to do anything that could inconvenience him, and even though he insists that he wants to make her happy and that nothing is too much if it makes her smile, she still does whatever she can to make sure she isn't too demanding of him. Even now, she won't wake him up despite the fact that she wants him quite badly. She'd rather let him sleep than interrupt it for her own desires.

Her breath hitches in her throat and she squirms a bit, her legs squeezed together in an attempt to solve her problem with minimal fuss. She becomes more and more aware of the heat of his body against hers, and more than anything, she wants him to be the one to help her. But still she tries not to wake him, even when she squirms in such a way that she's pressed back against him, and can feel that he's semi-hard and that his dreams must be very good indeed. They were both surprised to find that the other had an appetite to match, and it's not surprising to her that he wants it now too, even in his sleep.

She's just beginning to wonder if maybe she can justify waking him up, if it's to relieve him of his own predicament, when she feels him stirring behind her, and then there's a gentle hand around her throat. Not squeezing this time, just resting on her neck to let her know he's there. He lets out a low chuckle, pressing into her back so that she can feel him as gets completely hard.

"You're not trying to pleasure yourself right next to me, are you?" he asks, before tsking. "Oh, Lua, baby, you know you don't gotta do my job for me, right?" He slips another hand between her legs, and moans softly. "If you want me so bad- and I can tell ya do- just say something. Alright?"

"I didn't want to bother you," she says quietly, and he slips a finger inside of her, causing her to gasp.

"You aren't bothering me!" He sounds almost exasperated, but then he laughs again. "Can't you feel me, baby? How crazy you're driving me?" Now he starts to squeeze her throat, not hard enough yet to cut off her air, and she whimpers, leaning into his touch.

She's always loved how delicate she feels under his touch, how absolutely small and defenseless he makes her feel, how his hand nearly encircles her entire neck. He tightens his hold more and more, until finally it's a struggle to breathe and then she really gets excited, her mouth open in soundless, breathy moans. Soon, she won't be able to breathe at all, and then it's just a matter of whether or not he decides to let go or not, and if he doesn't...if he doesn't...

"Don't get too excited," he says, releasing his hold before her vision even begins to blur. "I can't even see your face from back here, you really think I'm gonna do it now?"

"Then...if it's not right now, then please..." She nearly stumbles over her words as she tries to think of how to ask him. "Do whatever you want with me," she finally says. It's close enough at least.

"No, no, no! That's not right at all, you're the one who woke up wanting this, baby!" He pauses before adding, "Well, so did I, but...you woke up first! Whattaya say, doll? You wanna let me take care of you, or what?"

If she were in her right frame of mind she would reply that if he's happy, she's happy, but she's far from her right frame of mind right now, and it's easier to be selfish when she can't think straight. He flexes his finger inside of her and it's all she can do to whimper out, "Y-yes."

"That's just what I like to hear," he replies, and he nips at her ear. The hand that was previously around her neck is suddenly cupping one of her breasts, and he makes a sound that is almost like a growl. "Oh, I really wish I could see your face right now, how goddamn lively you probably look! But it's easier to do this from back here, isn't it? And this is all about you, my _darling_." The word is dripping with something she can't quite put a name to- it is not malice and it is not affection, and only he would be able to combine the two and make it sound so lovely.

After groping her softly, he takes a nipple between his thumb and his index finger, rolling it between the two as she gasps and whimpers and leans her head back into his shoulder in ecstasy, closing her eyes. He shifts a bit so that she can rest on his shoulder completely and says, "Hey, wouldja look at that! I can see you like this! Great idea, baby." She opens her eyes to see his upside down smile.

He starts stroking her clit with one of his fingers, and she practically melts at the touch, biting her lip. Ladd just keeps grinning down at her, and she's so pleased to see that look in his eyes, pleased to know that she can still give him that little spark that he only ever gets from one other activity. She wonders how magnified it will be when he finally kills her, when he is able to have the best of both worlds.

"Please tell me you're getting close, cos I don't think I'm gonna be able to wait much longer!" He has a long laugh at that, and she's glad he isn't expecting an answer, because she is, in fact, so close that she isn't sure she can speak. "Listen to that, after all the times I tell you to be patient, and I'm not much better. But you know I love you, you know that."

She wants to tell him she loves him too, that he's her whole world, but she's right; she can't speak at all, and all she can manage are a few pathetic whimpers. He starts to grind against her from behind, groaning at the contact, and she can feel how badly he needs her now, how much he's been holding back just for her sake, and that is what does her in.

"You're so damn beautiful," he moans as he watches her. "I just gotta have you now, okay?" She didn't notice when he dropped his hand from her breast or when he pulled back from her a bit, but she can feel his arm bumping into her back and knows that he's already taken himself in hand because he's that impatient for her.

"I'm all yours," she replies, finding her voice just in time.


	3. chastity

Her cheeks are flushed the prettiest shade of red, and he can tell that she's biting the inside of her lip. She's so much less reserved around him then she is with anyone else, and when they're alone, Lua's almost like another person. He's got his hands in her hair, backing her into a wall, looking down at her with a ferocity saved only for her, and his victims (and someday, both, but he's not going to get ahead of himself).

"I'm sorry I've been so busy today," he says, "but I'm all yours now, okay? Don't worry, baby, we've got the whole night ahead of us." He knows she can feel how much he wants her, and he always wants her.

It isn't something new to them, not after how long they've been together, but every time is just as good as the first- claimed after she agreed to marry him, because it wasn't as if she had anyone else to save herself for now, anyway. She had hardly protested back then, putting up a token resistance because it was what she was supposed to do, but he reminded her that she didn't have to be anything but herself with him. Then she had practically melted under his touch, giving herself over to him like it was the only thing she ever wanted to do.

And ever since then, it had never been any less thrilling to be with her, and it still isn't, and if that isn't love, Ladd doesn't know what is. Everything else is so damn temporary, but to be able to find the same thrill again and again with her is more than he ever expected. It's always going to be her, he knows, and he knows that it's _only_ going to be her, and for her, it's only going to be him.

He's lost count of how many times he's fucked her, lost count of how many times he's pinned her to the wall like this, or pinned her down on his bed, or even laid back and let her sit on top of him while they did it. Tonight, he thinks the wall will suffice, he thinks he's not going to be able to resist her long enough for anything else, and she doesn't seem to have any complaints as he lifts her up, wrapping her legs around so that he can push himself inside of her without another thought.

She gasps and whimpers prettily, and he's so glad that she's all his, now and forever. He takes whatever opportunity he can to make it known- subtly, of course- that the two of them are intimate. If someone would actually dare to try to steal her from him, he takes comfort in the fact that they might be deterred, knowing that he's already laid claim to her in that regard. Lua is _his_ , no matter what, and he's never going to give her up for any reason, especially not while she's still breathing, but even when he's taken her life, he's going to be the only one left to hold her memory.

He takes both of her hands in his, pushing them against the wall, his hands sliding down until he's holding her wrists hard enough to bruise them, in incomplete circles that will match the one around her neck. And if he had not held her by the throat last time, he would do it right now, but he doesn't want to get too repetitive. There are so many ways to build up her anticipation, to show her what might be, that he has to restrain himself sometimes, or else she'll get to used to it, and where will be the fun in that?

And she wants it so damn badly, and she always looks so damn happy and it feels so good to tease her every time that he has almost slipped up more times than he can count. He always feels a mixture of dread and excitement when he has to wait for her to regain her breath, and he's always half-panicked when he's squeezing a trigger and remembers that he did not unload his gun before they began. Always, he stops himself, because it has to be special, but sometimes the spontaneity of it, the heat of the moment, and the knowledge that she probably thinks he won't go through with it, since the time isn't right, is almost enough to cloud his judgment.

And so it is nice to fuck her like this, without threatening or teasing her with his promise, and she leans her head forward to rest it on his shoulder, whispering to him about how much she loves him. They've done this so many times, but her whispered words never fail to push him to the very edge, and he does not manage to hold out much longer than she does.

Her face is something else when she comes, always has been. She's so much less reserved when they're alone, but even then, it's nothing compared to the emotion on her face when she comes, and the only difference between now and the first time is that she does not look quite as surprised. Back then, she had not known that she could feel that good, had always thought it was supposed to be about the enjoyment of the man, and he had been very glad to show her that there was so much more to it.

Any concern she might have had about them doing something like that before they were wed melted away with her first orgasm, and he had reassured her anyway, letting her know that it didn't matter, since they were going to be married anyway. As long as it was something they only did together, then it couldn't be that wrong, and then she had asked him if that was anything like his promise to kill her someday.

"Oh, my little angel," he'd said, "it's _exactly_ like my promise. Just you and me, baby."

Now, he lets her fall forward a bit, holding her steady as he drops her legs to the floor, and he holds her like that until he's sure she can stand on her own. Then he takes her chin between his fingers, tipping up her face so that he can kiss her. When their lips part, he murmurs against hers, "That's the second most fun a guy can have, you know that?"

"What's the most fun?" she asks, even though she already knows the answer; they've had this conversation before.

"Haven't had it yet," he replies. "But I gotta save it. I can only kill you once, but _that_...well, we can do that a lot first, doll."


	4. diligence

Everything he does, he does to the best of his ability, and she admires that more than she can possibly say. Ladd never slacks off when it comes to anything, and she's never met a man more devoted in her entire life, so she knows she is a lucky woman for him to love her above all else. She knows that she is in a very special position, and she has no intention of wasting it.

Watching him do anything is breathtaking, the way he puts his whole self into it, but she particularly loves the light in his eyes when he's about to end a life or when he's fucking her senseless, and she's so very pleased that the light is the same. He never gives less than his best to either of these tasks, and so she never wants to give less than her best when she does anything for him. Even when she can't do much, she always wants it to be to the best of her ability, because she wants Ladd to see what a good influence he's been on her.

The only problem is that he's just so damn devoted to making sure he gives everything his all that it's often hard for her to make it all about him. He puts so much focus on her pleasure some nights that he almost neglects himself, something she's sure no one would expect from him, but something that has become rather common. And even though that isn't quite as often as when he does think about himself, even then he always wants her to enjoy herself just as much. It takes so much convincing to get him to let her pleasure him alone, and he is only convinced once she insists that he really isn't alone; she loves doing things for him as much as she loves what he can do for her.

But once her lips are around his cock, he loses himself in it anyway, and then she doesn't have to worry about him worrying about her. With that out of the way, she can concentrate on creating just the right amount of friction with her lips while she bobs her head on him, trailing her tongue over him all the while, and Ladd tangles his hand in her hair and tugs while he groans, "Aw, shit, baby, that's- that's- fuck, that's nice!"

When he really gets into it, he takes control, but she doesn't mind. He's got a good hold on her hair, and he holds her head still as he rocks his hips, thrusting into her throat. She has a lot of practice with this by now, and doesn't gag nearly as much as she used to, but she knows he likes it when she does, and that's why he goes harder and deeper until she can't help it, and can't breathe at all. She doubts he's going to kill her like this when he does it- it isn't romantic in the slightest- but it's not a bad fantasy, and still wouldn't be the worst way to go.

Not that there really is a bad way to go if he's the one doing it, and the fantasy is good enough to really get her going, squirming and pressing her thighs together while he fucks her throat and moans and mutters how beautiful she looks like this. She's just so happy that he's happy, and she's glad that she's doing something that's good for him. He always sets such a good example with his diligence, and she has to show him that she's learning from that example, that she's just as devoted to doing her best as he is.

"Oh, Lua," he groans, "oh, Christ, dollface!" Panting, he seems as though he's struggling to speak, but has something that he very much wants to say. "Baby, you're so...oh, you're so fucking _defenseless_ like this, you know I could put a knife in your back just like this, don't you?" Her eyes widen and she makes a strangled little sound that would have been a moan if he weren't so deep in her throat, and he says, "Yeah, you know and you love it!"

He tries a few more threats after that, but he's losing his ability to form coherent sentences, and she can only pick up on a few words here or there. But it doesn't matter, because she knows the gist of it and she's already almost there without him ever really touching her. She won't go off before him, though, not when she's trying to show him a good time.

Ladd tugs harder at her hair, hissing and grunting and thrusting so far into her throat that she isn't sure how much more she can take, but she will. No matter what he gives her, she'll take it, because he's already given her so much more than she could have ever asked of him. He's gotta be getting close, he's gotta be almost there, but at this point, there's nothing she can do but endure what he does. Just as long as that's what he wants, that's enough.

Finally, he makes a low, growling sound as his seed spills down her throat, and he pulls out of her mouth as he comes, spilling some down her chin. Because she knows he'll love it, she licks it up, and the look on his face is more than she can handle after holding back for so long. She closes her eyes for a moment as she quietly gasps, having had no time to even catch her breath before she came, and when she opens her eyes again, panting for breath, Ladd is looking at her with the most tender expression.

"What an angel," he nearly coos. "I didn't know you were being serious when you said that you enjoyed it that much! Oh, you're really perfect, aren't you?" Shaking his head, he says, "I'm gonna have a tough time making it as perfect as you deserve when I finally kill ya."

At that, she moans, blushing, and he laughs, her favorite smile breaking out over his face. "Did that set you off all over again? Of course it did, I know how much your looking forward to that. Well then, Lua, looks like it's my turn!"


	5. temperance

It isn't any more of a special occasion than any other night, but Ladd wants to do something special for Lua anyway. He hasn't really done much to tease her in a while, and he doesn't want his little angel getting bored with him or thinking that he's lost his touch, or that he might not be interested in killing her anymore. That absolutely will not do, and the whole day, he's practically twitching in anticipation as he thinks about what he's going to do to her when he's got her alone. He's even a little too hasty with some of his victims, he's that excited to get home to her, and when he does, when he sees the way she lights up once he enters the room, it's all so very worth it.

He isn't sure how he fell so completely and totally, madly and desperately, head over heels in love with Lua, but ever since the day he met her, he's wanted nothing more than to spend every single one of her remaining days with her, and to be the one to to take her life at the end of it all. Meeting her took him completely by surprise, and now he's got one thing in the world that means more to him than anything else, and even if he wasn't counting on something like that, he's never going to complain.

Now, seeing the way she looks like him as if he's the most important thing in the world- and to her, he is- makes it all the more worth it. She greets him quietly, and he grabs her and pulls her in for a long kiss, hugging her shoulders so tight that he feels like he could break them if he doesn't let up soon. But he does, and he pulls out of the kiss to say, "You're as eager as ever, huh?"

She nods, and his grin spreads further. "I've got something special planned for tonight. Why? Because you deserve it, you've been so good and patient lately. I couldn't just let good behavior like that go unrewarded, baby, you know I couldn't do something like that to you."

It isn't the first time they've done this, but they haven't done this in a long time, and they've only done it a few times, because it takes a great amount of self-control on both of their parts. One move from either of them, and they'll take it too far and ruin everything, but he knows how much she loves it, and she's just been so _good_ lately that he's sure she won't give in to temptation. All he has to worry about is his own self-control, and he wants this special night to go just to plan. Ladd knows that he will not give in.

"Lay down for me, okay?" he asks. "That dress isn't one you're gonna miss, is it?" When she shakes her head, he says, "There's a good girl. You know I can replace it, anyway, so what's to worry about?"

There's excitement in her eyes, and he's so damn excited to see how it amplifies when they've really begun. She lays down on his bed, just as he instructed, and he climbs on top of her, sitting back on his heels and watching the steady rise and fall of her chest, a reminder that she's still alive, just for him. It is so nice to be somebody's purpose, he thinks, as he reaches into his pocket for what he has in store.

Light catches on the blade, and it's nice and clean and sterile, just for her. She takes in a sharp breath, and her smile is almost as wide as his, something he very rarely gets to see from her. He sometimes wishes she would smile like this more, but if she did, then it wouldn't be anywhere near as special. Tonight, he is proud to know he's brought it out in her, and he waves the knife over her face, watching the way her beautiful, bright eyes follow it wherever it goes. She wants this just as much as he wants to do this to her, and he slowly brings it down until it's just over top of her chest.

The blade catches on the fabric of her dress before slicing it, and he is very careful not to press down too hard, to make sure that he only cuts her dress, splitting it straight down the middle until it falls to either side of her. Another slit down the middle, and he frees her of her slip, and she's completely exposed before him. Her chest is rising and falling more rapidly now, and she's fidgeting from her own anticipation. She watches him raise the knife again, and he brings it down to her cheek, leaving a very thin cut, just barely enough to draw blood.

"Oh, look at _that_ ," he says, and he can feel himself getting very, _very_ excited at the sight of her blood. "You're bleeding, Lua, you know that? Your blood looks very pretty against your skin, makes that face of yours even prettier, doll." He leans down so close that their faces are inches apart, before he runs his tongue along the cut, feeling her shiver beneath him.

" _Ladd_ ," she breathes, and she moans softly. His heart actually skips a beat whenever she says his name like that, and the hand that holds the knife shakes. Oh, to be able to slit her pretty little throat here and now, or to be able to plunge his knife into her chest...she knows that the time isn't right, so she isn't expecting it at all, and that makes it that much harder to resist. But he's made promises to her, and he _can't_ act on a whim over something so important.

"Hold still, angel," he says, pulling back and resting the knife against her throat. "If you don't hold still, you might hurt yourself, you know." He presses the knife just a little bit closer, right against her flesh, and each breath she takes causes the blade to scrape at her a little bit more. He hasn't drawn blood yet, but when he imagines a thin line of red appearing on her delicate, pale neck, and spilling down, it is very tempting.

"Careful, careful, _careful_ ," he teases, "you might make me slip, and then who knows what might happen?" She looks up at him eagerly, and her lips move ever so slightly, though she does not speak. If he's not mistaken, she just mouthed _please_ , and it's so adorable that he's almost tempted to give into her request. He is at least finally tempted enough to press down just a little bit more, but he manages to hold back, and does not take it too far before he pulls the knife away from her throat.

There's that pretty slit of red, spreading down as the blood drips, and he shudders. He suddenly wants her so badly that he isn't sure whether he wants to slit her throat or fuck her brains out more, but both of those half to wait. This is a special occasion, and he's not done with his knife just yet. Leaning in, he licks up the pretty blood, just as he did before, and then murmurs against her neck, "You want more, don't you, baby?"

"Yes, please," she whispers, and he's so proud of how well she's doing with this. When he had the knife to her throat, she could have ended it then and there, and he knows a part of her wanted to, but she knows better, and she controlled herself. He's glad that he isn't the only one with self-control, he's glad he has someone like her who can help keep him in check.

Starting at the base of her neck, he runs the blade down her body, never quite pressing down, just barely scratching at her every now and then until he holds it over her heart, staring down into her eyes and smiling at her. His beautiful, perfect fiancee, and she's completely at his mercy. He loves her so much in this moment, he loves her so much _always_ , and he knows that there has never been a more perfect woman than his angel, his Lua.

"I love you, baby," he says. "That's why I gotta knife over your heart, see? And that's why I'm not putting it in just yet, but I might someday, because I love you so much." There's a question in her eyes and he chuckles. "Oh, don't look so confused, I _am_ going to kill you one day. I just said might, cos I might kill ya some other way, and I'm not ruining the surprise. But I'm holding back right now even though it's so, so hard because I love you so much."

Blushing and smiling and lowering her lashes, she raises her chest just enough to let the knife scrape her skin, just enough to show him how willing she is, but also enough to show her restraint, and she falls back to the bed before she can go the rest of the way. It's her way of saying that she loves him too, but she voices it as well, murmuring those three words in that adorable voice of hers.

And then the rest of the evening be damned! He has to have her now, and he jerks the knife away from her body, shoving it into the headboard of the bed and unzipping his pants, wiggling out of them as quickly as possible. She has to be ready for him by now, and just before he's about to ask, just to be safe, her legs are up an around him, pulling at him. He goes with the motion until he's completely on top of her, his hands on her shoulders and his nose brushing against hers.

"You're eager, aren't you, baby?" he taunts. "Well, that's just fine, cos I'm eager too, and you don't gotta wait no more." As he says that, he pushes himself down, not hesitating before he penetrates her, and her eyes flutter closed as she gasps out his name. She isn't as quiet with him as she is with others, but she is still very quiet, and he loves that about her more than he ever thought he would. There's something to having somebody around with a calm energy to match his excitable one; opposites attract, he reminds himself with a grin.

He got himself so achingly hard, teasing her with the knife like that, that he's honestly surprised that he hadn't given up on it already. His moans are low and shaky because he needs this so damn badly, and he's about to tell her that he doesn't think he's going to last very long when she's there and he can feel the pulsing of her orgasm. Of _course_ , he should have _known_ she was nearly there just from their little game, and he's so glad that he doesn't have to wait for her now.

When he can, he likes to make sure that she goes first, because he's not going to have her accuse him of not being a gentleman, and because everything is always that much better after he's seen that pretty little face of her go tense and then relax, after he's seen the look of pure bliss wash over her delicate features. He thinks of himself as an artist, sometimes, and that is a piece that he's sure is a contender to be his masterpiece.

"Good girl," he says, his voice strained and broken because he's reached his limits as well, and she smiles at him, and he's there, jerking his hips into her one last time as he comes. For a moment, he closes his eyes and everything slips into a blinding brightness, and then it slowly begins to fade. His eyes open to see Lua, still looking up at him with that same look of adoration, and he's suddenly, overwhelmingly glad that she's still there to look at him like that, that he hasn't given her up just yet.

But he shakes his head to get rid of that thought, and smirks at her. "Whattaya think, baby? Pretty special night, _right_?"


	6. humility

Humility is not to think less of oneself, but to think of oneself less, and if anyone embodies that perfectly, it's Lua. Ladd is always impressed with just how selfless she is, with the way she is able to look completely outside of herself just for him. It isn't that he doesn't think of her often, and isn't that he doesn't try to do what he can for her; it's just that he is an excitable man with a lot on his plate, and it is very easy to get lost in himself sometimes. She never seems to have any trouble with that, and he has to say that he admires that about her.

He thinks about this as she patiently works, kneeling on the floor beside his chair. His knuckles got pretty torn up earlier that day, and she's insisted that she bandage them properly, so that he doesn't get an infection. He had tried to tell her that there was no way, that he's endured way worse before, but she'd replied by saying she didn't want to take any chances, reminding him of his promise with a playful smile.

Of course, he couldn't say no to her after that, and now he hisses slightly as she cleans his wounds. She looks up at him as if to apologize, and he waves his other hand, the one she has already finished bandaging. "It's fine," he says, wincing at the sting. "Don't you worry about a thing, dollface."

He loves that she doesn't fret over him or nag him or anything like that. Any other girl would probably tell him he should be more careful, but she's never criticized his methods. She knows why he does what he does and she respects him, and then she cleans him up afterward just because she wants him to be in top condition to do it all over again. He's so glad he'll have her by his side to keep helping him out for a while yet.

When she has his hand cleaned up, she begins wrapping bandages around it, slowly and meticulously, a look on concentration on her elegant face. He takes a moment to admire how beautiful she is, and is so, so glad that he's the only one who gets the honor of killing someone so ethereal. She's his precious angel, and even if they've done too much for him to be able to send her back to heaven, he'll at least do his best.

At last, she finishes tying off the bandage, and then she brings his hand to her lips, placing delicate kisses along his knuckles. She'd done this with the other hand as well, and he's just as touched this time around. Yes, she is definitely an angel, and he is definitely a lucky man to have her here, so willing to please him and wait for him and give her life to him. By the time she releases his hand, his mind is made up, and he rises from his seat.

"Alright," he says, reaching down to help her up, "let's get you to bed, baby." She knows him well enough by now to know that he doesn't mean sleeping, and he scoops her up and carries her, like a bride, to his bed. He makes quick work of undressing her, before wrapping his hand lightly around her pale throat, then running it down her neck and chest and stomach, feeling every inch of her exposed skin.

His cock twitches in anticipation, but he ignores that, straddling her and pressing his lips against hers. She kisses him back so immediately and so willingly, and he moans into her mouth. He wants her so much, and he can feel the way she presses herself up against him, the way she strains for further contact with him. She wants him too, and, oh, he's going to deliver. Breaking the kiss, he begins trailing his lips down her neck, following the same path he had with his hands, but lingering to nibble at her skin. He wonders, briefly, if he could tear her throat out with a bite alone, and if she would like something like that, but he doesn't let those thoughts distract him for long. He can't let himself get _too_ excited, after all.

And, anyway, he _is_ capable of having fun with her without threatening her, no matter how much they both may enjoy it. If his mouth weren't so busy, he might at least tell her of that idea, but he's not going to break his concentration. Ladd slowly runs his tongue down the center of her chest before tracing over to the right, circling her breast and bringing it in tighter and tighter until his tongue is teasing at her nipple.

Lua whimpers, gripping the sheets beneath her in tight fists as she tenses up. She's always been incredibly sensitive, and it's one of his favorite ways to drive her completely crazy. He takes her nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly and listening to the soft moans this elicits. She's going to get close just from this, he knows, but this is just the beginning, and once he's sure that he can't push her much further, he pulls back, planting a soft kiss on her breast before moving his mouth down further.

Her stomach is flat and smooth as he traces his tongue down, down, down, until he nuzzles his face between her legs and she gasps. He's only done this for her once before, and it's been way too long, he knows. After she did such a good job bandaging his hands, she deserves something like this, something to show her that he is thinking more of her and less of himself, just like she always does.

He presses his tongue inside of her and she actually cries out, one of the loudest sounds he's ever heard her make, and he's only ever heard her get that loud for him. It's really quite the honor to know that he's that special to her, considering how very special his angel is to him. He traces shapes within her, pushing deeper into her, just firmly enough to make her arch her back and whimper his name. She tastes good to him like this, he loves being able to actually taste her desire for him, and he moans, low.

When her hips start to jerk, he's careful not to let her bump into his face too hard, but he doesn't stop her from moving because he knows that's just a sign that he's doing his job right. It helps him get just a little bit deeper inside of her, anyway, delving with his tongue as he brings her ever closer, knowing that she won't be much longer now. His own desire is growing, nearly beyond the point he can manage, but he will not give up and he will not allow himself to think about his own needs when he's supposed to be doing this just for her.

She's growing more and more tense as he eats her out, and her legs hook around his shoulders, pulling him even closer to her. He's sure that this action was involuntary on her part and that she'll probably be embarrassed to have done it, but he thinks it's adorable. His fiancee very rarely loses control of herself, so he's flattered to have caused it in the first place.

His name is the only thing on her lips when she comes, and she says it twice, quietly at first and then a little bit louder, and he can feel the way she tenses and relaxes rapidly with her climax. He gives her a moment even once it feels like she's done, listening to her panting before he pulls back and grins up at her. "You like that, right, baby?"

She nods, sitting up, her face still flushed, and he gets up to sit beside her. He still wants her so badly that he feels like he'll explode, and his erection is straining against his pants, but he's waiting to make sure she's happy, he's thinking about _her_ , not about himself.

And then her hand is in his lap and she's rubbing the bulge in his pants gently before unzipping them and taking him in her small hand. That's his Lua, always looking out for him.


	7. kindness

There's no one in the world she trusts more than him, and no one in the world she will ever feel this close to. She's never known love like this, never known this intensity, and she knows that it is something she will never have from anyone else. It is because of this that she has stayed by his side for so long, but it is also simply because she loves him, and wants to be there for him in whatever way he needs her.

It was love at first sight, whatever people may say about that, and ever since then she's loved him in ways she never knew were possible. She therefore trusts him with her life, something that she has completely given over to him, and will do anything for him, without ever expecting a thing in return. And yet Ladd gives her so much, and she loves him more every day that they're together, and she longs for the day when she can give back just as much, though he says that she already does.

One of these days, he's going to kill her; he reminds her of that promise at every opportunity, and she knows that it means so much coming from him. The first time she ever saw him take a life, the first time she ever saw how much joy it brought him, the first time she ever saw just how much it meant to him, she knew that she would never _really_ know what it was like to live until she was dying by his hand, and it is a great testament of his love for her that he is waiting for just the right moment, that he wants to kill her as much as she wants to become his victim.

~X~

He's not used to caring for someone as much as he cares for Lua, but it isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's so strangely satisfying to know that he has someone who depends on him and needs him as much as she does, and to know that he always gives her exactly what she needs. It doesn't hurt that she's the most beautiful woman he's ever met, and the day she told him that she only wanted to die if he was the one doing it, he didn't think it was possible to love somebody as much as he loved her in that moment.

But they have to wait because it has to be perfect. Loving her means that her death can't be like all the others he's caused, it has to be something special, and he will do everything in his power to make it the death she deserves, but these things take time. He doesn't want her to have a difficult wait, so he has other ways of making her happy, ways of bringing her as close to death as he can, but never, ever letting her step over the edge.

Those moments, when she's so close but not quite there, are some of the most intimate he has ever experienced with anyone. It is the closest he feels like he can get to her, and somebody, when he goes all the way with her, it will be the climax of their relationship. Because they've not done so much, because their affair feels incomplete, he has further incentive to wait. Taking her life too early means there might be regrets, and he does not want to regret a single thing with her.

So he is cautious and they are patient, and it is such a strange thing to care for anyone as much as he cares for her, but Ladd doesn't think he would trade it for his life before they met. It's indescribable, the way it feels to know that her life's purpose is something that only he can help to fulfill, and he will fulfill it to the best of his abilities.

~X~

Lua loves the way he smiles when he's choking her out, the way he looks like he's close to letting his control slip and take it all the way. He never will, not early, but when he looks like this, she can pretend that he will, and that is thrilling. _He_ is thrilling, and he's so damn handsome like this, and she feels like she's going to come at any second, but he likes it when she waits until after she's nearly blacked out.

And eventually, they get to that point. Eventually, her air supply cuts out completely and she's left gasping uselessly as his hands constrict around her throat, and then her vision starts to blur and her lungs start to ache, and all she can see is Ladd, grinning down at her as she begins to see spots. If he doesn't let up, if he keeps this up until she is dead, it will not be perfect and will not be what they have planned, but if it would make him happy to do that, if he gets impatient and decides he doesn't want to wait until it's perfect, then that's alright by her. Whatever he wants is alright by her, but she's so lightheaded by now that she's not sure if she'll remember to tell him, should she actually survive this time.

~X~

Ladd loves it when her face starts to turn blue, when her eyes go glassy and when the smile on her face turns hollow. She's nearing her limit, but she always finds a way, no matter how far he pushes her, to mouth _I love you._ She told him once that she wants to say that to him one last time, whenever he kills her, so she always says it just to be on the safe side. And that is usually what brings him back to his senses, should he be close to taking things too far. If she is saying that to him, it means there is cause for concern and that he needs to let her come back to him.

He lets go of her quickly, and watches as she gasps for air, as it floods her lungs and the color begins to come back into her face, the light back into her eyes, and he imagines the way her lungs must burn as they adjust to being able to breathe again. And just when she's beginning to catch her breath, she flushes, clenching her fists and tensing up before relaxing. She always comes once he's choked her, always becomes breathless once she's recovered her breath, and when she begins to recover her breath from _that_ , he brings his lips down onto hers to take it away all over again.

He's so hard it fucking hurts, and she's ready for him, she's always ready for him. Lua is perfect, he knows, and there will never be anyone who makes him feel quite this way but her. He never knew that it could be like this, that loving somebody could be so damn _exciting_ , or so damn _right_.

~X~

Ladd fucks her into the mattress after that, hard and fast and frantic, and after the first time he comes, he only needs a few minutes to recover before he starts up again, working toward the second, and tonight he even has a third in him. Lua loses count of her own, but she's sure that he's counting hers just as she's counting his, and that they're working together in this.

More than anything, it is wonderful to have somebody to work together with. From now until the end of her life at his hands, she will have somebody to share that life with, and she is able to share in the excitement of his, and she thinks about how absolutely wonderful it is to be in love with somebody like Ladd.

~X~

Before they fall asleep, Lua wants to hear about his day, and her face lights up when he gets into the very gory particulars, and if that isn't love, Ladd doesn't know what is.


End file.
